Bad recs...

[CBG23]

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So I am a little afrqaid about my one of my recs as I didn't know the writer very well, but needed a rec from a person who taught a certain subject for a bunch of schools. My question is, would schools still offer interviews if you have a subpar rec (assuming everything else is perfect, or would they not offer an interview.) I ask b/c I would rather know before the interview than after the interview that a toxic rec may have doomed me. Maybe I'm just being a paranoid pre-med...

 

[MassTransport]

What's a "bad" rec? I don't think a generic one will be very detrimental, but an actively negative rec should tank it pretty nicely.

 

[drizzt3117]

Maybe I'm just being a paranoid pre-med...

QFT.

You think the prof would straight up write you a bad rec? Maybe it would be non-specific or lukewarm which may not strengthen your application, but unless it was hostile, i doubt it would make the difference between a slam-dunk interview offer and a rejection. Maybe if you were borderline/questionable... Unless a prof really hates you they will probably just not write a rec for you if they don't feel they can write a positive one, unless they're out to screw you over.

 

[Jolie South]

So I am a little afrqaid about my one of my recs as I didn't know the writer very well, but needed a rec from a person who taught a certain subject for a bunch of schools. My question is, would schools still offer interviews if you have a subpar rec (assuming everything else is perfect, or would they not offer an interview.) I ask b/c I would rather know before the interview thqan after that a toxic rec may have doomed me. Maybe I'm just being a paranoid pre-med...

i agree with the above posters.

did you do anything idiotic? did you miss class? are you arrogant? did you do well?

if you did well and kept out of trouble, i don't see why this guy wouldn't write an ok rec. chill. it will be ok.

 

[CBG23]

I don't think I did anything idiotic; I took two classes with this prof and didn't do amazing in the first class (not extremely bad, but not great) but did really well in the other class; I guess I am worried that the prof may say I am inconsistent or something or since I don't know the prof that well, that they'll write something like: "I knew CBG23. He got X grade in my class. Signed, prof" - I have heard that some profs pull that stuff...

 

[Jolie South]

I don't think I did anything idiotic; I took two classes with this prof and didn't do amazing in the first class (not extremely bad, but not great) but did really well in the other class; I guess I am worried that the prof may say I am inconsistent or something or since I don't know the prof that well, that they'll write something like: "I knew CBG23. He got X grade in my class. Signed, prof" - I have heard that some profs pull that stuff...

does he seem like the kind of guy that would do that? i mean you spent several semesters with the guy. you should have some sort of feel for what he's like.